Fairly new to programming & new to macs...where to start??

Hey everyone...I have poked around with programming (c++, java, visual basic) over the last few years...didn't really get far with anything. I am also new to the Macs and would prefer to program under Mac OS X...

I would like to get to the point of programming my own simple but custom applications...

WHERE SHOULD I BEGIN? What compilers does the Mac use? Whats the best programing language?? Any good books?

Thanks for that tip...but the guy who posted that thread is a "seasoned" programmer and I am not. I am looking for some beginner info and looking for some good books too if any exist.

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Hi ckeck. I recommend you start off with either a Java or C++ book that teaches you the concepts in a text based environment (like Mac terminal apps) so that you can understand real OOP and programming concepts. Then, you might want to try out some of the objective-C tutorials. Apple has one included in the developer documentation that is very nice. I am a seasoned C++ programmer who had no trouble at all diving right into Java's GUI stuff quite easily, but Apple's cocoa stuff was much more complicated for me. I have it more or less figured out, but I don't have any real big apps under my belt yet. (no time)

If you want to do mac programming, and therefore want to ultimately use Cocoa/objective-C, then I suggest you learn C++ first. When you're ready for GUI stuff, move into Obj-C. The syntax differences aren't too crazy. You can try to dive right into Obj-C but I am not familiar with any books that use it to teach beginning programming concepts, and without those you'll find its usefulness rather limited.

depends on how familiary you are with programming concepts.
if you are at least at the intermedia level with C++, i'd say you can start looking at Cocoa and Object-C.
if not, get a C++ book or two and finish them first.

Get to understand how your Mac works and read through Apple's Human Interface Guidelines before you start designing your application. There are lots of little touches that make an application 'Mac-like' and some important concepts like making sure you don't just use 'Yes' or 'No' on dialogue boxes, making sure the defaults are non-destructive.

Hi ckeck. I recommend you start off with either a Java or C++ book that teaches you the concepts in a text based environment (like Mac terminal apps) so that you can understand real OOP and programming concepts. Then, you might want to try out some of the objective-C tutorials. Apple has one included in the developer documentation that is very nice. I am a seasoned C++ programmer who had no trouble at all diving right into Java's GUI stuff quite easily, but Apple's cocoa stuff was much more complicated for me. I have it more or less figured out, but I don't have any real big apps under my belt yet. (no time)

If you want to do mac programming, and therefore want to ultimately use Cocoa/objective-C, then I suggest you learn C++ first. When you're ready for GUI stuff, move into Obj-C. The syntax differences aren't too crazy. You can try to dive right into Obj-C but I am not familiar with any books that use it to teach beginning programming concepts, and without those you'll find its usefulness rather limited.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, of course.

Good luck to you.

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it is certainlly recommended that you know a bit of programming concepts before looking at Cocoa and Object-C.
C++ particularly would be useful.

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